Care Bears in The Land of the Living Lies
by Maki831
Summary: The Land of the Living Lies is where children are taken for judgment when their lies get out of control. Little Sandy's dangerous lying habit has caught the attention of the Care Bear Family, and a small team of them hurry to save her from the evil Honorable Judge of Lies.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Care Bears in The Land of the Living Lies

Rating: K

Category: Adventure

Pairings: None

Summary: The Land of the Living Lies is where children are taken for judgment when their lies get out of control. Little Sandy's lying habit has caught the attention of the Care Bear Family, and a small team of them hurry to save her from the evil Honorable Judge of Lies.

Spoilers: A few for the 'Puff the Magic Dragon in the Land of the Living Lies' special. Nothing too big is being spoiled, just a few names and types of lies that are told.

Disclaimer: All rights and properties belong to Nelvana, Dic, ABC, and Romeo Muller. I am not profiting in any way by writing this story.

Notes: This was written as a request fic from FFNet author retro mania. It was a crossover and AU idea like none I had ever attempted before, and the challenge of it drew me right into writing. It will be seven chapters long and updated as quickly as I am able to write it!

* * *

Gentle Heart Lamb was the first to notice the change in the Lying Meter.

It was the newest addition to Care-a-Lot, and it sat next to the Caring Meter. The two resembled each other in nearly every way except the Lying Meter's shape and theme was stars instead of hearts. It also let out let a high-pitched alarm instead of a long groaning sound when something terrible happened on Earth.

The alarm had just gone off, frightening away the two butterflies that Gentle Heart had been playing peek-a-boo with only moments before. She looked up at the Lying Meter and found that it had plunged down five points. She scrambled up from the tuffs of clouds she had been sitting in and ran for Wish Bear's looking post.

Luckily, it wasn't too far away from where Gentle Heart had been playing, so she was able to climb up and reach Wish Bear in almost no time. The Staroscope was already pressed to Wish Bear's eye as she laid tummy-down on the clouds.

The alarm stopped as Gentle Heart lay down next to her and said, "Who is it this time? Have you found him or her yet?"

Wish nodded. "Yes. It's a little girl named Sandy. I've actually been watching her for a couple of days now, but this is the first time she's caused the Lying Meter to drop." Wish Bear held the Staroscope out to Gentle Heart. "Here, have a look and listen."

The little lamb accepted it and then listened carefully as Wish Bear explained just where to look. A few moments later, she was able to see the inside of a nearly empty classroom.

An older woman and a small girl were standing in front of a wall-length chalkboard. They were clearly a teacher and her student. Around them sat numerous empty desks, and a quick glance at the clock above the chalkboard showed Gentle Heart that it was just after two in the afternoon.

The teacher was a long and lanky woman with short, honey-brown hair. She wore a long grey dress and matching high heels. A necklace made out of big silver rings sat around her neck. She was presently standing with her shoulders slumped and one hand covering her eyes.

The little girl Gentle Heart now knew as Sandy was rocking back and forth on her Mary Janes while slightly swishing her lavender paisley skirt. Her white blouse was a little untucked on one side, and her long black hair hung down to her waist. A pair of rounded, cream-colored glasses sat on her nose.

Gentle Heart was surprised. Sandy looked to be a very sweet and innocent girl. She didn't seem to be someone who was now in great danger for lying too much. Gentle Heart re-focused the Staroscope and then waited, listening.

The teacher let out a sigh and then dropped her hand from her eyes. "All right, Sandy," she said, "Please explain to me one more time why you didn't bring in your homework."

Sandy stopped rocking and looked up at her teacher with big eyes. "I told you, Mrs. Berry. A very small lady who traveled through time appeared in front of me on my way to school, and she said that she was there to change the future and save mankind. She needed to blend into our society, so I offered to switch outfits with her so her mission could succeed."

Mrs. Berry sighed again. "Oh, Sandy."

"I had to do it!" Sandy told her. "I couldn't risk the future of all humankind! So I gave her my clothes and my backpack with my homework in it, and she gave me this outfit." Sandy twirled around.

Her teacher shook her head. "Sandy, those are your clothes. You've worn them to school before."

"No I haven't," Sandy insisted, plucking at one of the pearl buttons on her blouse. "These clothes are way too old. No one wears stuff like this nowadays."

"You always wear outfits like this one, Sandy."

"No, I don't," Sandy replied.

Another shrill alarm from the Lying Meter drowned out Mrs. Berry's reply and startled Gentle Heart away from the Staroscope. "Oh my!" she cried, handing the scope back to Wish Bear. "Sandy is really in danger!"

Wish Bear said something that couldn't be heard. Then the alarm stopped again, and Gentle Heart noticed that a few other members of their family had joined the two of them at the look out.

"What did you see?" Proud Heart Cat asked, wringing his paws together.

Wish Bear pointed below them. "There's a little girl named Sandy who is dangerously close to being taken to The Land of the Living Lies! We need to warn her down there quick before she tells any more lies. Where are Friend Bear and Secret Bear?"

Gentle Heart felt herself calm down a bit. Friend and Secret had saved a few children from The Land of the Living Lies before. They were definitely the best team to send down to Sandy to help.

"I'm right here!" Friend Bear stepped forward through Funshine Bear and Love-a-Lot and stood in front of Gentle Heart and Wish Bear. "Secret Bear hasn't come back from the caring mission he had this morning. But I can't wait for him to come back. Sandy needs to know about where her lies will send her if she doesn't stop them. If we can get to her in time, we can prevent her from being taken to see The Honorable Judge of Lies."

A shiver went through the crowd of Bears and Cousins. Gentle Heart was especially affected.

"But you can't go by yourself," Wish Bear told Friend Bear. "Sandy may need more than just one Bear's word to believe anything about the Land of the Living Lies. It will take at least two of us to try and convince her."

Friend Bear looked quickly around before putting an arm around Gentle Heart's shoulders. "Then I choose Gentle Heart."

"M-me?" The little Lamb questioned with a tiny bleat.

"Yes, you," Friend Bear replied. "When children lie as much as Sandy, then there is usually a very big and serious reason for it. We need to find out that reason and you, Gentle Heart, are the most comforting out of all of us Bears and Cousins. I know Sandy will appreciate you putting her at ease while we help her."

A warm feeling settled in Gentle Heart's tummy. "Really? All right then, let's go."

"Great!" Wish Bear said. "I'll keep an eye on all of you from up here. If you need help, just send up the distress signal and we'll send a few more of us down."

"We will," Friend Bear promised. Then she glanced at Gentle Heart and said, "Let's go save Sandy."

Gentle Heart nodded her head. "Yes, and let's hurry!"


	2. Chapter 2

Sandy and her father where almost back home when he asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday. Without really thinking, she blurted out what she knew would be impossible. "I want you and Mom to drive me and all my new friends to the Brooklyn Bridge for a huge party!"

The car hit the curb as her father turned onto their driveway, and he hurried to keep control until he brought it to a stop, leaving the engine running.

Sandy unbuckled her seatbelt and looked over at him. He had Sandy's hair color and her skin tone, and was still dressed in his business suit and tie. Usually, he was calmer about a lot of things than Sandy or her mother but right then, he looked like he was having trouble maintaining that calmness.

Finally, he turned to his daughter and said, "Sandy, the Brooklyn Bridge is on the other side of the country. There's no way we can drive you and your friends there for a party. I'm sorry."

"But that's what I want," Sandy told him. "It's what me _and_ my friends want since, um…since we all started reading the 'Where is…?' book series."

Her father frowned. "I don't remember buying you any of those books."

"Sure you did," Sandy said, patting him on the arm. "I've let my friends borrow them."

He rubbed his forehead. "All right, Sweetheart, I have to meet with a client. Tell your Mother I'll be home by five 'o clock."

"And that we're going to the Brooklyn Bridge for my birthday," Sandy added as she hopped out of the car and closed the door behind her. "Bye, Daddy!" She hurried away before he could reply.

Their home was a single-story dwelling, painted beige with two large white windows in front on either side of the front door. Sandy opened it up and called, "Hi, Mom! I'm going out to play with my friends! Dad will be home by five!"

"Sandy, wait!" Her mother's voice called back. "You still need to wash up the breakfast dishes like you promised!"

"I can't! I read that dirty dishes now carry radioactive food germs that can mutate children! It'll be safer if you do it! Bye!"

She closed the front door and jumped off the porch, waving to her father as he drove off. A few moments later, she was jogging down the sidewalk in the opposite direction and then turned the corner onto the next block. She stopped to peek back around that corner and when she didn't see anyone, Sandy settled herself down on the curb and put her chin in her hands.

There weren't any friends. There hadn't been any since she and her parents had moved into the neighborhood three weeks earlier. Except for Muggs, but he was gone now because Sandy ignored the rule about no ball playing in the house and then blamed Muggs when she broke her mother's favorite lamp.

Sandy scraped the bottom of her shoe along the street. No friends, no Muggs, and a bunch of neighborhood kids who still treated her like she had 'New Kid' disease. If it weren't for them…

"Hi Sandy," a pleasant voice said. Startled, Sandy looked to her left and found two furry animals standing on the sidewalk next to her. One was a bear roughly the color of a really ripe apricot, and the other was a lamb the color of soft green mint. Both of them smiled at her.

"Who are you?" Sandy asked.

"We're the Care Bears," the bear replied, revealing herself to be the one who had greeted Sandy. "My name is Friend Bear, and this is my cousin Gentle Heart. Can we sit with you?"

"Um…okay."

Friend Bear sat down on Sandy's left side while Gentle Heart took the right. Once they were settled, Sandy glanced back and forth between them and said, "How do you know who I am?"

"We always know children who need us," Gentle Heart answered.

Sandy immediately sat up a little straighter. "I don't need anybody. I'm fine."

Friend Bear gave her a worried look. "You know that's not true, Sandy."

"It is," Sandy told her. "There's nothing wrong. I really am fine."

Gentle Heart hesitated a moment before she put a paw on Sandy's shoulder. "You can tell us what's bothering you, Sandy. We'll understand. We're here to listen and to share your feelings."

"I'm fine!" Sandy said again, brushing Gentle Heart's paw away and then standing up once again. "And I don't have time for this! I have to make a phone call to Congress about making my birthday a national holiday."

She started walking away in a huff, wanting nothing more than to get away, but then stopped short when both Friend Bear and Gentle Heart rushed to get in front of her. Both now wore identical distressed expressions on their faces.

"Please don't run away, Sandy," Gentle Heart pleaded. "You must talk to us about the lies. You're in danger."

Sandy tried not to show how surprised she was that they knew about her lying. So she frowned and tried to step around them. "What danger? Nothing is happening."

"Not yet," Friend Bear corrected as she moved to block Sandy once more. "But if you don't tell us why you keep lying about things you'll be in danger of being sent to The Land of the Living Lies."

The land of what? Sandy scoffed and tried to get past them again. "Don't be silly. There's no such place."

"There is!" Friend Bear insisted as she and Gentle Heart continued to keep Sandy from moving forward. "I've been there before and it's a horrible place!"

Sandy finally pushed her way through them and started down the sidewalk. Behind her, she heard Friend Bear say, "This is terrible, Gentle Heart. I'd better send up the distress signal."

That made Sandy stop and then look over her shoulder, and she was surprise to see Friend Bear shoot a beam of flower-shaped light high up into the sky. This allowed Gentle Heart to catch up to her and say, "Please listen to us, Sandy. We just want you to stay safe. The Land of the Living Lies is a real place."

Sandy scoffed again and crossed her arms. "Well, even if it _was_ real I wouldn't be afraid of it. Lies are better than the truth anyway."

Gentle Heart's eyes widened and she let loose a few distressed bleating sounds before saying, "You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do," Sandy retorted, stamping a foot. "Lies are easy and they can fix everything."

Friend Bear appeared at Gentle Heart's side just as Sandy finished that sentence. Sad, the Care Bear shook her head and said, "Oh Sandy, that isn't true at all. Lying doesn't fix anything."

"All it does is hurt you and the people you care about," Gentle Heart added softly.

"I don't care about anyone!"

Without warning, the sidewalk began to rumble and shake beneath them. Sandy cried out and tried to keep her balance as the two members of the Care Bear family tried to do the same. But after one particularly hard jolt, Sandy fell to the ground…and a large crack appeared in the sidewalk next to her.

"Sandy!" Friend and Gentle Heart exclaimed, trying to get to the little girl's side.

More cracks appeared around them as pieces of the sidewalk dropped down into the void of darkness beneath the concrete. Panicked, Sandy abandoned the idea of standing and crawled away, scrapping her knees as she moved. She made it halfway onto the street when the section of sidewalk supporting the lower half of her body crumbled, and Sandy found herself scrambling and then failing to hold on to the asphalt in front of her.

A streak of rainbow colors flashed in front of her eyes as she started to fall and then all of a sudden, Gentle Heart and Friend Bear were both there, reaching out their paws to grab onto her hands and arms. Unfortunately, Sandy was too heavy and pulled them down with her.

They all screamed as they started to fall, and Sandy closed her eyes.

But not before she saw a golden bear and a pink elephant falling after them.


End file.
